Vello

The Atomist sees the world in a way that few others can. While other photographers might look for monuments or great vistas, you like to think small—often smaller than the eye can see. Of course, working at this micro level takes enormous patience, not to mention a meticulous passion for detail. Even a millimeter’s difference can throw your camera’s focus way off. But when it’s all done correctly, the results are magnificent. The Atomist astounds by finding whole worlds in a single raindrop, by revealing the delicate hairs on an insect’s legs, by illuminating the incredible form and texture in the stamens of a flower. It turns out that if you slow down enough, the most marvelous sights can be found in the tiniest things. Here we take a peek into the Atomist’s bag to see what tools help make the magic happen.

Adjusting focus by fractions of millimeters

When you’re shooting macro-level closeups, autofocus isn’t precise enough, and the tiniest variations of distance can make or break the focus you want. To get it right, you need a tool like Oben’s MFR4-5 Macro Focusing Rail. Mount your camera on the rail and adjust its exact position and distance from the subject with ultra-precise adjustment knobs. If you’re focus-stacking, this tool is a must-have.

Sweating the details

It’s all about the fine details. A specialized light like Bolt’s VM-110 LED Macro Ring Light fits around your lens to properly illuminate your tiny subject, while Delta lamps can hold cards to block stray light from entering the frame. Vello’s Universal White Balance Handheld Disc is the easiest way to achieve perfect white balance. To help position the light or the subject, it’s also a good idea to have a roll of gaffer tape, some Fun-Tak, and bobby pins on you—and pack some tweezers while you’re at it. Remember: at this level, no detail is too small to matter.

It’s a kind of high that you can’t get any other way: a wide open sky, the grandeur of nature all around you. This is what the Adventurer lives for. It might be on a hiking trail to find those hard-earned, breathtaking vistas. It might be out in a crazy thunderstorm to capture streaks of electricity on the horizon. Or it might be right at home, uncovering the quiet beauty of nature in your own backyard. Wherever it is, you’re there with your camera set up and ready. While other photographers might shrink from wind and grit and moisture, you brave the elements to share with the rest of the world just how incredible and inspiring is the planet we live on. Let’s see what kind of gear the Adventurer relies on to get those spectacular shots.

Triggering your shutter remotely

One dirty secret of wildlife photographers is that sometimes they’re not even by their camera. With a motion detector like the Vello Freewave Stryker, you can set up your camera, pre-focus, scatter some feed, then go have lunch. While you’re munching away, you might get some incredible images of wildlife in its most natural state. The Stryker is also quick enough to capture lightning the instant it strikes. If you prefer to trigger your shutter manually, the Vello FreeWave Wireless Remote Shutter Release will help you get your camera closer to skittish or dangerous beasts without risking life and limb. If you’re doing night photography, the Vello Bluetooth ShutterBoss Advanced Intervalometer is ideal for triggering those long exposures without disturbing your camera.

Working with a tripod

You’ll need a tripod when doing any remote triggering, and when you’re outdoors you’ll want to make sure that your tripod is sturdy and level. A fluid tripod head like Oben’s GH-50 Gimbal Head will help you get the position you want without much fuss. Also important is a good level, like Vello’s Three-Axis Hot-Shoe Bubble Level, which is more accurate than the level included in the tripod because it sits directly on top of your camera. For landscape photographers, this is a must.

It’s all about the rush of the moment. Whether it’s an A-list celebrity stepping out onto the red carpet, an elated groom smashing a glass under his heel under a chuppah, or a gaggle of suburban third graders screaming happy birthday, the Chaos Specialist is the one who’s there to get that perfect freeze frame. It’s not easy. These priceless moments come with little warning and are gone forever. Under high pressure not to miss the shot, you’re checking white balance, jostling for elbow room, and bouncing your flash while trying to be in two places at once. But this is what the Chaos Specialist lives for—the adrenaline, the celebration, and the split-second decision to capture the instant that defines the event for a lifetime. So what’s in the Chaos Specialist’s bag?

Flattering your subject

In a chaotic environment, it can be tricky to make your subjects look their best. Because you have to stay mobile and don’t often have a free hand or assistant to hold your flash, the best thing you can do is to at least move your flash off the camera. The Vello Speedy Camera Rotating Flash Bracket with TTL Off-Camera Flash Cord does just that, moving your strobe off axis to drop your shadows and improve depth. Your clients will thank you: no more of that mugshot look! The addition of a full-featured flash like the Bolt VB-22 Bare-Bulb Flash Kit with its built-in reflector and diffuser will temper the harshness of your strobe while also giving you the power to shoot large groups and illuminate your subject from a distance.

Working with the light you can’t control

Since you usually can’t predict or control the ambient light at an event, you have to adapt to make it work for you. With the Grid and Filter Kit from Bolt or other brands, you can adjust the breadth and temperature of your flash to make it usable in every situation. And if you’re shooting under bright lights of any kind, a Vello Lens Hood will prevent unwanted lens flare while also protecting your glass from accidental impact.

Shooting all day without running out of juice

Events can last from early morning to late night, so it’s no surprise that one of an event photographer’s biggest fears is running out of power. With the Vello BG-C-series Battery Grips, you won’t have to worry. Its vertical shutter button also allows you to shoot more comfortably in portrait orientation. And don’t forget your strobes: Bolt’s PP-400BP Cyclone DR Lithium-Ion Battery Pack speeds up your flash’s recycling time for rapid shooting while also making sure that your flash will keep firing until the last guest is too pooped to dance.